Author: TELO Admin

The Colombo Port City has denied links to a Chinese man who was robbed of his cash and valuables worth over Rs 40 million at a residence in Lake Drive, Borella.

The Colombo Port City Economic Commission said that relying on accurate and verified information on such an incident in question of such an unfortunate criminal event, and any attempt to associate it with the activities within Colombo Port City is entirely unsubstantiated.

The Commission urges the media, the public, and all stakeholders to exercise caution and responsibility when sharing information related to such incidents and spreading unverified information which can lead to unnecessary misrepresentation, that can be detrimental to the reputation and credibility of the Colombo Port City project.

The Colombo Port City Economic Commission is actively collaborating with relevant authorities to address any concerns to ensure the well-being and security of all those associated with Colombo Port City to maintain the highest standards of safety and security.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has asked all Members of Parliament to attend the sittings in the upcoming parliamentary week, Ada Derana learns.

The directives were given during the meeting of Cabinet of Ministers on Monday (Aug. 28).

Accordingly, the ministers, state ministers and other MPs have been asked to be present in the Chamber for the sittings scheduled for September 05, 06, 07 and 08.

The no-confidence motion against Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, moved by the Opposition, is expected to be taken up for debate next week.

The President has taken the said decision after reports of a group of ruling party MPs planning to boycott the no-confidence motion.

A three-day debate will be held for the no-confidence motion against the health minister.

The United National Party says several members of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya will extend their support to President Ranil Wickremesinghe next month.

Addressing a rally in Kurunegala, former member of the SJB P Harrison said he expects some Members of Parliament to re-join the UNP during party’s 76th anniversary celebrations on the 10th September.

The former Minister said several SJB MPs voted to elect UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as the President during last year’s Parliamentary vote.

Former Minister Harrison stated that even the SJB leader is aware that several of his party members are keen to re-join the UNP and it will commence on the 10th of September.

Meanwhile, General Secretary of the UNP Palitha Range Bandara said the party will hold the annual convention on the 10th of September, opposite the Lake House building.

The UNP annual convention will be held under the patronage of party leader President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

He expressed confidence that a large crowd would attend the convention.

Meanwhile, the new UNP constitution will be approved on the 10th of September.

General Secretary Range Bandara noted that before the approval, the proposed constitution will be presented to the Working Committee.

Sri Lanka’s digital identity card project funded by India will not be allowed to access personal data by any other country, Public Security Minister Tiran Alles said.

The decision to award the tender to print digital ID cards for an Indian firm has raised concerns over data privacy of Sri Lankan citizens and protection of personal data.

India has already given an advance aid of 450 million Indian rupees to President Wickremesinghe’s government to fund its digital identity project, which aims to collect biographic and biometric information, including facial, iris, and fingerprint data.

The Department of Personal Registration comes under the purview of Alles’ Ministry of Public Security.

“I don’t know exactly because it is not under my ministry. It is done by the Ministry of Technology. They will go through and finally it will come to us,” Alles told reporters in Colombo when he was questioned over the project.

“I have told only one thing and I have told this to the president as well that I will never ever agree to a system which could be used by another country to access our personal data.”

“We can’t allow that to happen. If that happens anybody can see even your blood group. This will be looked into.”

The project is expected to store the personal data of every individual in a centralised system to issue identification cards as per the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), government officials have said, to effective and efficient delivery of government services, financial inclusion, and poverty reduction.

An Indo-Sri Lanka Joint Project Monitoring Committee (JPMC) has already been appointed to oversee the progress of the project.

Wajira Abeywardena, a legislator and close ally of President Wickremesinghe last week said the project would not pose a threat to national security despite the implementation being done by an Indian company.

While stressing that Indo-Lanka ties should be confined to trade and economy, Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said the proposed bridge between the two countries should be approved by the Sri Lankan people through a Referendum.

Speaking at a healing service at the Thewatte Basilica church in Fagama over the weekend, Cardinal Ranjith said it was the rulers who had betrayed Sri Lanka in the past.

“Construction of a road between Sri Lanka and India has been proposed now. It is the rulers who come up with such proposals and betray our nation. All can remember the air dropping of dhal and how the Indian army was sent to Sri Lanka in the past. Ancient kings confined their relationships with India to trade and economy. Therefore the proposal to set up a road between India and Sri Lanka should be approved by the people in Sri Lanka at a referendum,” Cardinal Ranjith said.

“Pakistan and Bangladesh have been parts of India in the past but Sri Lanka has always been a separate country,” he added.

“We have seen some political leaders showing their faces in religious programmes in temples and church feasts. These political leaders should not use these religious programmes to enhance their images,” he also said.

He said it is the open economy that was introduced in 1977 that led to the economic crisis which the nation is facing today.

“Around 80 per cent of Sri Lanka’s resources are enjoyed by 20 per cent of the population while the remaining 80 percent of the population are left with 20 per cent of the resources. “This vicious system should be changed,” he said.